Hopkins cheerleader pleads guilty to prostitution-related charges

HOPKINS, Minn. - A Hopkins High School student pleaded guilty to charges that she coerced a fellow cheerleader into acts of prostitution on Friday.

Montia Parker, 18, pleaded guilty to counts of first-degree soliciting a minor to practice prostitution, first-degree sex trafficking of a minor and first-degree promotion of prostitution of a minor, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.

A criminal complaint says in a conversation with friends and cheerleading teammates on March 1, the victim talked about finding a way to make money. One of her friends told the teen she could make money giving men oral sex.

Soon afterwards, investigators say the victim received a Facebook message from Parker asking for her contact information. The girl says the defendant directed her to send pictures that were "not too nasty but kinda cute" and used those photos to place an ad in Backpage.com.

The victim told detectives that Parker texted her on March 5, directing the 16-year-old to leave school and meet her at her car. The girl says Parker and two other teens then drove her to an apartment in Crystal where she performed oral sex on a man in exchange for $60. Parker allegedly collected that money and deposited it at a bank near Knollwood Mall. The victim was given no money for the sex act.

Prosecutors said that the following day Parker instructed the teen to leave school again, this time to have vaginal sex with a client in Brooklyn Park. The victim told the client she did not want to have vaginal sex and offered oral sex instead. The client declined, and the teen left the residence with no money.

The scheme was uncovered when the victim's mother received a message about an unexcused absence from school on March 5. When she checked her daughter's cell phone, she uncovered texts exchanged between her daughter and Parker discussing acts of prostitution and contacted police.

Parker declined the 45 to 60 month sentence that prosecutors were seeking in the case. Parker's attorney said that he would be arguing for significantly less than 45 months in prison.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 11.

(Copyright 2013 by KARE. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)